Paper Palate

There has been an explosion in the use of spices in the United States these days, not least of which is in my own kitchen, thanks in large part to our growing awareness of and interest in the cuisines of other countries. We have been the beneficiaries as groups of immigrants have settled into our cities and opened restaurants that offer their native dishes. TV cooking shows have also increased our exposure to ingredients outside our regional comfort zone and awakened our desires to try more exotic herbs and spices.

When I first ventured out into the land of exotic spices, I was looking for some kind of guide to help me on my journey. I found Jill Norman’s Herbs & Spices: The Cook’s Reference to be the most handy. This comprehensive reference is the first fully illustrated guide to herbs and spices. And the illustrations are stunningly gorgeous.

Jill Norman is considered to be the heir to Elizabeth David, whose books on food and cooking are classic. According to her bio on Penguin’s website:

Jill’s expertise in herbs and spices has reached such a wide audience that she is frequently asked to identify spices, sent in small amounts to her by people all over the world. Other people who have bought herbs marked, vaguely, “culinary” in garden centres ring up to ask what to do with them. Recently, Encyclopedia Britannica asked Jill to be their expert to update all of their entries on herbs and spices.

One of the most attractive aspects of this book is the way the spices are arranged. Instead of an encyclopedic, alphabetical listing, over 120 herbs and spices are categorized by aroma and taste. This makes it much easier to substitute one spice for another with some assurance that the end result will be similar, or at least complementary, to the original recipe. The book has divided herbs and spices into two separate sections, but in the introduction Norman explains that different cultures classify them differently depending on whether they are fresh or dried. She decided to use the European usage, where herbs are herbs and spices are spices whether fresh or dried.

There is a wonderful section of recipes and techniques at the back. What I found the most valuable are the pages of herb and spice mixtures, sauces and condiments. It’s the most thorough collection I’ve seen, and by all accounts due to Norman’s reputation, the recipes are authentic.

Herb’s & Spices is a must have for any serious chef or food lover.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10

Pros: Beautiful illustrations; concise, in-depth information; comprehensive; excellent recipe section including over 100 recipes for spice mixtures and sauces. And at $30.00 U.S., it’s an incredible bargain.

Cons: Ok, if I have to - there is little information on the cultural history of the spices and herbs.

Herbs & Spices: The Cook’s Reference, by Jill Norman (DK Publishing, 2002)